Dismissed DA member and former speaker of the Western Cape legislature Masizole Mnqasela has told the Western Cape High Court that seven long-term staff members employed in the Speaker’s Office “will be without employment at the end of December” if the interim order to reinstate him was not granted.
In papers lodged in the Western Cape High Court, Mnqasela argues, among other things, that “given that most businesses close in December, it is very likely that they will not be able to find employment before 1 January 2023”.
According to the former speaker, the “abrupt nature” and circumstances of his loss of employment has been very “traumatic” for his staff members. He says it is “frankly cruel” to terminate their employment weeks before the festive season; “a time when they would otherwise enjoy with their families”, adding that to his best knowledge, five of his staff members have minor children.
In the notice of motion, which was filed on Friday, Mnqasela who had been involved in running battles with the DA until his party membership was terminated, is asking the court to urgently interdict and restrain the appointment of deputy speaker Beverley Schafer.
Mnqasela irked the DA when on November 27 he held a media conference in his office where he tore into the DA leadership and the provincial government, saying he was “bewildered” that his party submitted a motion of no confidence against him while he was under investigation for alleged wasteful expenditure.
Mnqasela had apparently also instituted investigations against Schafer for an alleged fruitless and wasteful expenditure regarding the deputy speaker’s use of the BMW X5, which he said she was not supposed to be in possession of. He said the provincial government had acquired a long-term lease for her to use an Audi Q5, which ended up gathering dust in a parking lot for months.
Sunday World reported in October about the Vassen forensic report, which was commissioned by the state attorney to have Schafer investigated before recommendations were made that action should be taken against her.
On Thursday, ActionSA entered the fray, accusing the DA of failing to act to remedy the situation despite a forensic investigation report’s recommendation. ActionSA Western Cape provincial chairperson Michelle Wasserman said Schafer was the presumptive DA candidate for the position of speaker in the provincial legislature.
“As to why the DA has failed to take similar action against Schafer, as they did against Mnqasela, is a matter for the DA to clarify,” Wasserman said.
In court documents, Mnqasela denied the DA’s accusation contained in the letter of termination of his membership that the processes against him were a political witch-hunt.
“To the extent my public statements on 27 November 2022 have been reported as such, the reports are misleading and incorrect. Taken in context, I merely stated that ‘I dismiss all the allegations [of fraud and corruption detailed in so-called protected disclosures] as baseless, malicious and a political witch-hunt’. This statement is neither disparaging of the party or a decision of its structures.”
“The DA had accused Mqansela of wrongfully claiming for travel, subsistence and entertainment allowances.
DA’s federal council chairperson Helen Zille said her party was aware of the court application filed by Mnqasela and that the DA would defend itself on the matter.
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